GavynsMum

My surgeon recommends 1000 calories a day after surgery with at least 60g Protein. This is the amount your body needs to maintain a healthy weight with limited or no activity. A person with anorexia usually consumes MUCH less than this. I had a friend who was severly anorexic and she would eat stuff like ketchup, mustard greens, hot sauce on a couple of crackers, and all sorts of no calorie food for meals. The difference is WLS pts are eating the RIGHT amount for sedentary lifestyles and are making sure they are meeting nutritonal requirements for a healthy weight. Someone with an eating disorder (anorexia and bulemia) is starving their body of nutrients in order to be a healhty or unhealthy weight. And if they are refering to the post op diet then that is only temporary and would be required of anyone having major abdominal surgery..... Hope this helps...i have had this question too.

mattie is correct. Jello and Broth. I may add unflavored protein powder to my broth to make me feel "full". Just keep shoveling it in! I have found if i dont continously sip all day during this phase i get weak and lightheaded. The first three days were the worst and now i just feel like my eyeballs are floating!

This was hilarious!!

Good luck. Insurances can be very tricky. Make sure you always get things in writing.

Jessica: Thanks for sharing. I hear of a lot of people doing the Carnation shakes. They are very easy to find. I have been on the hunt for some Protein Water but havent been able to find any. I tried the unjury Unflavored in chicken broth and in crystal light (actually ocean spray grape-cranberry...yummmm) and it actually didnt taste bad. I didn't put a whole scoop though. I only did about 1/4th a scoop but i think i could possibly try half a scoop next time. I tried the following flavores in Syntrax nectar too: lemonade, crystal sky, strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. I mixed the lemonade and crystal sky with water. The only one i could stand was the vanilla and I mixed it in milk and froze it and ate it like ice cream. The other flavors were not like juice. Unless you like milky, thick, funky tasting juice. I also tried the Luna Protein Bars in Peanut Butter and cookie dough. I prefered the peanut butter. These are good substitutes for my "snack" shake. Because, really, who wants to eat another shake as a snake when you are already chugging two for Meal Replacements. I dont substitue these every day but if i get a craving for chocolate and its been a rough day of dreaming the keys on the computer where chocolates then i substitute. The reason i dont do this every day is because they are higher in carbs than my shakes. Dont forget to share! I see lots of views but only one reply!! Or if there is another post with this info please point me in the right direction!

Txsnow, I had the shakes and headaches too for the first couple days. When it would get bad I would drink a cup of coffee with a little bit of real sugar, truvia, and protein powder. I think my shakes were carb and sugar withdraw so this made it a bit easier.

Good luck! I am ending day 8 of 14 and my saving grace is I am on a dieuretic. I do still feel like my eyeballs are floating some days.

Just make sure the broth is below 130 degrees or it clumps. I can also add 1/4th a scoop to my crystal light without it really affecting the taste. If I start to add much more it gets funky. If only they made a powder that wasn't milky.

I get banded on the 10th so I know exactly what you are going through. My diet stated the same thing as yours but my dietician said i could include another shake as a snack (who would want that as a snack) and/or yogurt or some fruit. I also have "cheated" :blushing: by eating canned tuna or chicken (small amounts) just to have something to chew (add a little lemon pepper seasoning to your tuna instead of mayo). I really dont consider this cheating since i never eat the "snack" shake and my "cheats" are always lower calories and carbs than the shake. When i HAD to have some chocolate i ate a luna Peanut Butter Protein bar and it was slap your mom good. (I never though i would say that about a flipping protein bar!) I just added

My insurance, Tricare, does not require any testing or diet. My surgeon's clinic is a Center of Excellence so all patients have to have 6 month diet, blood work, approval from primary physician, EGD, EKG, two week preop diet, and pulmonary tests. He may also require other tests if needed. I think it really depends on the patient, insurance, and surgeon.

Have you tried the Luna protein bars? From what i can see looking at the ingredients list they dont contain any alcohols. 190 calories, 19g carbs, 3g fiber, 12g protein. I usually dont eat these instead of my meal replacement shakes but i am allowed another shake during the day as a "snack". But after drinking two shakes i would prob cry if i had another one. I switch these out instead. The peanut butter is pretty good and i have a cookie dough box i am waiting to try.

I will say a prayer for you as this broke my heart. You need to sit down and tell her everything you just wrote. I will have to say counseling is critical. If she wont talk to a counselor see if she will talk with your/a church leader/pastor/father. It seems as though you are hinting of past troubles before the lap band and her weight loss so make sure not to put all the blame on her. Just remember there are two sides to every story. Good luck.

So i am on day five of my 14 day pre-op diet. Mine consists of 2 shakes for 2 meals and 1 low carb meal (under 400 cals). I can also have a yogurt/fruit and another shake for Snacks. I have collected a small army of whey Protein samples and have been trying them out since i cant go back to normal food until 6 weeks after surgery. **yikes** I would love to start a thread for everyone to share some of the brands of Protein Shakes or low calorie frozen meals in order to help out those on the diet or going on the diet. Please let me know the shake/powder/meal brand and flavor and why you loved it or why it made you gag. I have around 14 other sample packs to go so i will keep updating as long as everyone else does or some interest is shown. Syntrax nectar Cappucino: absolutley loved it. Tasted like bottled starbucks frappucino. Mixed with skim milk easily with a spoon. Didnt sound like a flavor i wanted to mix with Water even though it states you can. Syntrax Nectar Fuzzy Navel: Hated it. Even drank half the glass to see if it would grow on me. No protein after taste i just personally dont like peachy juice. This line of protein powders state they can be mixed with water and with a spoon. They can but finding a flavor you like is key. They do taste like juice which is what they advertise. Will be trying lots more flavors in near future. Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein (chocolate): Bought a big tub of this at walmart. Mixed with milk. Ok taste. Has that wangy bitter protein aftertaste but is not as bad as others. Doctored this several times with either sugar and fat free pudding, instant coffee, or with davinci syrup (<-def a product to check into). This powder needs mixed with a shaker. A spoon just makes clumps. Atkins Advantage Mocha Latte Shake: Wouldn't drink this every day but it is very convenient if you are going somewhere you dont want to lug around powder or milk. Not as bad as the Body Fortress but no where as good as the Syntrax Nectar Cappucino. Will be trying unjury unflavored tonight!! And the Luna chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Bar. (sounds so yummy)

Approved for January 10th! Could have had it in December but wanted to wait for PTO to renew for 2011. Did six month diet, EKG, Pulmonary tests, and blood work. Have two days worth of nutritional classes and then go in for an EGD on 12.02.10 and thats it. Gotta love Tricare and my hospital. Hope everyone is as excited as i am!

Bethey, Congratulations! You are a bit ahead of me since I only have my first appointment this Thursday. I am going to the same group of doctors you are at River Oaks. I hear Dr. Carroll is the best and most experienced in the group so i wouldn't worry to much. I am going to see Dr. Adkins just because his appointment days work better with my job. I have a 6 month old and was wondering what Dr. Carroll said regarding picking up your 2 year old?

Everyone, Thanks for replying! I love hearing about everyones journey and the many paths everyone took to reach the same place. I do intend on going to this surgeon since he is the only one in the area to accept my insurance. I have used the hospital before, when my baby boy was born, and never had a problem with it. The funny thing is I am the office manager for a group of anesthesiologists and I can't have the surgery at my hospital (which is a Center of Excellence) because the surgeons here don't take Tricare. Errrgg.... but oh well. I just thought it was a little wierd that the office staff told me my insurance would most likely reimburse me but i had to pay for the visit up front. It just seems resonable to bill the patients insurance and then bill the patient...but that's from my point and i don't know squat about office billing. I have the money saved so it really isn't that big of a deal plus Tricare covers almost all of the procedure, hospital stay, and etc. The center will also provide me: a book they called my WLS bible, meetings, support groups, and a nutritionist so if my money is not refunded by Tricare it won't be a huge loss because I will be getting an improved life for $300. Can't beat that. Manda: $1k would have made me think long and hard about finding another doctor. Do you think your doctor was worth it though?

I have my first appointment next Thursday (Feb 11th). I have to pay $300 cash for this appointment even though i have insurance that covers WLS. The WLS office told me i could submit my own claim to my insurance and they might reimburse me. Has anyone ever heard or done this?

I am not going to run around telling everyone but i will talk about it if asked. I work for doctors and have a friend and several family members who have had WLS so it isn't something i would feel like i have to "hide". Just out of curiousity, those that said it is none of anyone's business would you "tell" if someone asked and you thought they were not going to be negative?

Everyone, Thank you for your help! Serenity: Thanks for the list! Betsy: I def know i will need Protein and i loved the idea of adding unflavored protein to Soup. I tend to get sick of sweets quickly. Rayne: Congrats! Have you lost 35 lbs on the pre and post op diet?

Hello everyone, I went to my seminar yesterday and I am excited to get the Lap Band process started. I have been thinking about getting banded for 2 years but put it off due to insurance coverage and a pregnancy. My son is 6 months old and I now have Tricare. I found out Tricare pretty much approves you with no hoops to jump through so I am hoping the pre-op time will go quickly. I do know i will have to be on a liquid diet for two weeks before and after surgery. I know this is going to be hard but worth it. Anyone have any good suggestions on what is good to eat/drink pre and post op? What did everyone eat/drink to survive not having their vice....delicous...yummy...fatty...food!